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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. press — newspapers
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. hand — in cards
  8. track — to keep track
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bat — the animal
  11. press — to push
  12. key — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. hand — help
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. drill — army training
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bank — for money
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bank — of a river
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. press — a publisher

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