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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bound — obliged
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. court — of law
  11. bound — certain
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. court — of a king
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — for sport
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bore — to tire

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