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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tube — a container
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — the tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. club — a group
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. club — for golf
  14. ball — a great time
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tube — the underground
  17. key — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ground — crushed
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. tube — in a tire

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