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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lie — to recline
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. snap — to click
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rule — government
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rule — a law
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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