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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. drill — a practice
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chip — to eat
  9. key — in music
  10. drill — army training
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. drill — the tool
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chair — a leader

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