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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — after costs
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rule — a law
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rest — a break
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — for catching
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. net — in sport
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rest — what's left
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rule — government

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