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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ball — a dance
  4. tube — a container
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ball — a great time
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mug — a face
  11. hand — help
  12. pit — in a race
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mug — to rob
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. drill — army training
  18. mug — a cup
  19. key — in music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ball — a round shape

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