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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stock — shares
  5. key — the most important part
  6. suit — to fit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. key — in music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. face — to confront
  14. content — the amount
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. face — part of the head
  18. content — happy
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stock — goods
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — clothes

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