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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mine — for digging
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spell — letters
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spell — magic
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. spell — a short time
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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