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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rash — hasty
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. track — a song
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — to eat
  17. track — a path
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rash — a series
  20. rock — a stone
  21. track — to keep track
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — in a computer

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