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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. key — the most important part
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bulb — for light
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bulb — of a plant

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