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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lie — to recline
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. prune — to trim

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