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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pop — soda
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. sharp — clever
  9. land — ground
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pop — music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wound — an injury
  14. land — to come down
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. land — a country
  19. lean — thin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pop — to visit
  22. fall — the season
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fall — to drop

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