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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. tube — a container
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. key — for a lock
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. toast — bread
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — in music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chest — a box
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pass — to succeed

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