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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. face — to point toward
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. file — a tool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. deal — to handle
  10. craft — boats
  11. face — to confront
  12. bass — low music
  13. file — a document
  14. face — part of the head
  15. craft — a skill
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. file — a line of people
  18. current — happening now
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bass — the fish
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. key — in music

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