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: date · nail · pit · ruler · pitcher · mouse · scale · sharp

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. date — the fruit
  21. scale — in music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. date — on the calendar

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