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: stick · foot · deal · dip · nail · saw · cabinet · vault

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. saw — the tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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