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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bore — to drill
  3. degree — from a university
  4. key — the most important part
  5. object — a thing
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — to protest
  9. staff — employees
  10. bore — to tire
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. object — an aim
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. game — wild animals
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bass — low music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. game — a match
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. staff — a stick
  22. degree — temperature
  23. key — for a lock
  24. staff — employees

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