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 120 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 · kid · deal · rule · sharp · press · ruler · hand

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. kid — to tease
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. hand — in cards
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kid — child
  13. press — newspapers
  14. deal — to handle
  15. press — a publisher
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. press — to push
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. hand — help

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