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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. key — in music
  3. hand — in cards
  4. kick — in football
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bass — low music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. hand — help
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. key — for a lock
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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