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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mark — a trace
  4. shower — rain
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mark — a grade
  7. shower — to wash
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. last — finally
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. foot — a measure
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. last — final
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lie — an untruth

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