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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. last — finally
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. last — to go on
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. last — final
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cell — a phone
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ball — a dance

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