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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cue — a hint
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cue — a signal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. club — a group
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fall — the season
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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