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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. hand — help
  4. bank — of a river
  5. shower — to wash
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. hand — in cards
  12. shower — rain
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — in music

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