ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bound — obliged
  9. craft — boats
  10. bound — tied together
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mark — a grade
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lean — thin
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lean — to bend
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com