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: leaves · bowl · stick · object · nail · chair · snap · pitcher

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — a leader
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. object — to protest
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. object — a thing
  14. snap — to click
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. object — an aim
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. chair — to sit on

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