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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. snap — to click
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cold — not warm
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cold — an illness
  14. mug — to rob
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — clever
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mug — a face

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