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: snap · stock · nail · bat · ruler · land

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to click
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. land — ground
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — a country
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — goods
  12. land — to come down
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — shares
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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