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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. board — a committee
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spell — letters
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. drill — the tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — a practice
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bass — low music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. content — happy
  15. board — to get on
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. spell — a short time
  19. drill — army training
  20. chip — to eat
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. spell — magic
  23. key — the most important part
  24. chip — for betting

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