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: nail · chair · craft · current · band · rule · snap · pit

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — happening now
  3. pit — a hole
  4. band — a music group
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. current — of water
  7. craft — boats
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rule — government
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. band — a ring
  13. rule — a law
  14. snap — to click
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. current — electric
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pit — in a race
  23. craft — a skill
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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