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: saw · stick · game · sharp · nail · bowl · trunk · clip

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. sharp — clever
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. sharp — with an edge

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