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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. current — electric
  3. track — to keep track
  4. key — for a lock
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. spell — letters
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. current — of water
  11. track — a path
  12. drill — army training
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rash — a series
  19. spell — magic
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. key — in music
  22. track — a song
  23. spell — a short time
  24. current — happening now

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