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: toast · lash · rule · snap · nail · object · drill · ball

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ball — a great time
  5. object — to protest
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rule — a law
  8. snap — to click
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ball — a dance
  13. toast — bread
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rule — government
  17. object — an aim
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. object — a thing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. toast — the most admired

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