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: nail · lie · board · cue · sharp · bark · rush · spell

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. spell — magic
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — letters
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cue — a hint
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bark — to shout
  23. board — to get on
  24. rush — a thrill

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