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: fall · stem · nail · key · ruler · wind · cap · rash

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fall — the season
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — in music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — a series
  17. cap — of ice
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cap — a lid
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rash — on the skin

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