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: nail · rule · squash · pound · safe · tear

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rule — government
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pound — a weight
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rule — a law

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