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: suit · foot · nail · wind · snap · last · file · dip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. file — a line of people
  6. last — to go on
  7. foot — a measure
  8. suit — clothes
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. dip — to sink
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. snap — to click
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. file — a tool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. last — finally
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — in cards
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. suit — to fit
  23. file — a document
  24. last — final

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