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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · nail · rest · tear · file · snap

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. file — a tool
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tear — from crying
  6. file — a document
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — in a road
  11. tear — to rip
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. nail — for a hammer

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