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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cap — a lid
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cap — a hat
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. key — in music
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. key — for a lock
  18. snap — to click
  19. key — the most important part
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ruler — a monarch

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