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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rule — a law
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wound — an injury
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rash — hasty
  13. key — in music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. mark — a grade
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. mark — to pay attention

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