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 124 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. file — a document
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fall — to drop
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — the season
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. file — a tool
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fall — to drop

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