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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rest — a break
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rush — hurry
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — music
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pop — to visit
  24. wound — an injury

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