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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. shower — rain
  3. wound — an injury
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bound — obliged
  6. band — a music group
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bound — certain
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rule — government
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rule — a law
  16. shower — to wash
  17. band — a ring
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wound — an injury
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bound — tied together
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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