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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bank — for money
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — a break
  12. firm — a company
  13. key — in music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — decided
  16. wake — a trail
  17. march — the month
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. firm — steady
  22. march — music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. march — the month

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