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 · rule · mug · pop · mate · racket · firm · wound

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pop — music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — a company
  10. mug — a face
  11. rule — a law
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mate — to breed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pop — soda
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — to rob
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. firm — decided

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