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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. court — of a king
  3. toast — bread
  4. current — of water
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. current — happening now
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. hand — help
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. current — electric
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. court — of law
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — for sport
  24. jam — a tight spot

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