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 116 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: nail · lean · file · object · bark · kid

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. file — a line of people
  6. kid — to tease
  7. file — a tool
  8. bark — to shout
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — child
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. file — a document
  18. object — to protest

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