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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. key — in music
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. drill — the tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — army training
  13. can — a tin
  14. bat — the animal
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bark — to shout
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a dance

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