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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. court — of a king
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. current — electric
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. current — of water
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. current — happening now
  12. shower — to wash
  13. court — of law
  14. shower — rain
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. court — for sport
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pound — a weight
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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