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: mouse · nail · key · swing · rule · pitcher · date · fall

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rule — a law
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — to play on
  8. key — the most important part
  9. swing — music
  10. fall — to drop
  11. key — in music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fall — to drop
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fall — the season
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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