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: nail · wound · club · swing · rule · rest · drill · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wound — an injury
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rule — government
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rule — a law
  10. drill — the tool
  11. club — a group
  12. rest — what's left
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. swing — in golf
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. club — for golf
  19. drill — army training
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. swing — music
  22. club — for dancing
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rest — a break

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