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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ground — the earth
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ground — crushed
  10. key — in music
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lean — thin
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. craft — a skill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — employees
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. key — the most important part
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rock — a stone

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