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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stock — goods
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — shares
  7. key — the most important part
  8. prune — to trim
  9. key — in music
  10. ground — crushed
  11. key — for a lock
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. staff — employees
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bank — for money

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