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

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. net — after costs
  5. drill — the tool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. last — finally
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — government
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — for catching
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. rule — a law
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — for a lock
  24. drill — army training

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