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: stick · fall · board · nail · hand · cabinet · safe · wax

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hand — in cards
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — help
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fall — the season
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. board — a committee
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. board — to get on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fall — to drop
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fall — to drop

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