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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. press — newspapers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. file — a tool
  8. press — to push
  9. sharp — clever
  10. press — a publisher
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. file — a document
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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