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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pound — a weight
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. clip — a video
  19. tear — to rip
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. clip — to cut
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tear — from crying
  24. clip — for paper

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