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: file · hide · deal · capital · pitcher · stick · lie · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. capital — a city
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — to handle
  8. capital — money
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. file — a document

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