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: cabinet · nail · chip · plane · game · sharp · last · hide

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — for betting
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. sharp — clever
  11. game — a match
  12. last — to go on
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. last — finally
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. last — final
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. game — wild animals

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