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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. present — a gift
  4. spell — magic
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. file — a document
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. file — a tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — there
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — the time now
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bore — to drill
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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