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: dip · staff · ruler · game · kick · lash · mouse · nail

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. staff — employees
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. staff — employees
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. staff — a stick
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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