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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. wound — an injury
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. hand — help
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bat — the animal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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