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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rash — a series
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. last — to go on
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. last — final
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. hand — help
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. snap — to click
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. last — finally
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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