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: leaves · temple · fall · spring · nail · snap · lash · scale

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. scale — size or range
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. spring — the season
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. snap — to click
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spring — a coil
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. scale — in music
  18. fall — the season
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. spring — of water
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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