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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. drill — army training
  5. key — for a lock
  6. net — after costs
  7. scale — size or range
  8. shower — to wash
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — the most important part
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. net — in sport
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — in music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. shower — rain
  24. key — in music

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