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 116 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — a company
  4. fall — the season
  5. net — after costs
  6. key — in music
  7. net — for catching
  8. squash — the sport
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. key — the most important part
  13. march — the month
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. march — the month
  17. fall — to drop
  18. net — in sport
  19. firm — steady
  20. squash — to crush
  21. firm — decided
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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