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: staff · snap · nail · sharp · ruler · spell · kick · saw

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. staff — employees
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. spell — letters
  5. saw — the tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. snap — to click
  8. sharp — clever
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. staff — a stick
  21. kick — in football
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. saw — the tool

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