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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. toast — bread
  3. staff — employees
  4. scale — in music
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cold — not warm
  8. key — for a lock
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. scale — size or range
  11. can — to be able to
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cold — an illness
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. cold — the Cold War

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