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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bass — low music
  8. present — there
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — for a lock
  11. present — the time now
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wax — to grow
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. present — a gift
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. key — in music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. vault — a safe
  23. key — the most important part
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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