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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wind — moving air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. wind — to turn a key

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