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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. swing — music
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pitch — completely
  11. key — the most important part
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. key — for a lock
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. content — the amount
  17. key — in music
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. content — happy

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