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: calf · game · bay · clip · last · nail · ruler · lie

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. game — a match
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. last — final
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. last — to go on
  9. clip — to cut
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lie — to recline
  12. clip — a video
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. last — finally
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. clip — for paper
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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