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: wake · nail · tear · lash · cue · suit · pitcher · snap

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. tear — from crying
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. suit — in cards
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. snap — to click
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wake — a trail
  14. suit — clothes
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. suit — to fit
  17. tear — to rip
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cue — a signal
  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