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: mouse · vault · rest · rock · stick · patient · bulb · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — music
  4. rest — a break
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rock — a stone
  24. vault — a safe

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