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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pass — a permit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. tube — a container
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. drill — army training
  20. key — in music
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stem — to come from

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