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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — to shout
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — electricity
  14. key — the most important part
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. key — in music
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. foot — the bottom

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