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 120 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. staff — employees
  3. tube — a container
  4. key — the most important part
  5. net — for catching
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — child
  10. current — electric
  11. tube — the underground
  12. current — happening now
  13. key — for a lock
  14. current — of water
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. net — after costs
  18. staff — a stick
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. key — in music
  21. kid — to tease
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. net — in sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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