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 · stick · rule · bore · lean · club · lie

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rule — government
  5. club — for golf
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lean — thin
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. club — a group
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — a law
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — to tire

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