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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chip — to eat
  7. key — in music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. last — to go on
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mug — a face
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. last — final
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bass — low music
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bass — the fish
  24. last — finally

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