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: bark · snap · nail · shower · capital · ruler · kick · bear

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bark — to shout
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. shower — rain
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. snap — to click
  19. capital — a city
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bear — the animal
  23. capital — money
  24. bear — to put up with

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