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: kick · ruler · dip · nail · plane · mug · chest · rest

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. dip — to sink
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chest — of your body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — a face
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. chest — a box
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mug — a cup
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rest — a break
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chest — of your body

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