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: last · wave · lie · game · nail · ruler · stem · file

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. last — final
  12. file — a tool
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. file — a document
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a line of people
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. nail — for a hammer

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