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: suit · staff · chip · band · saw · face · nail · ruler

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. band — a music group
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. staff — employees
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. chip — to eat
  15. face — part of the head
  16. band — a ring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — to confront
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. face — to point toward
  22. saw — the tool
  23. staff — a stick
  24. suit — to fit

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