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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. firm — steady
  3. club — for golf
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a skill
  6. key — for a lock
  7. firm — a company
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. firm — decided
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. scale — size or range
  16. key — the most important part
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — the tool
  19. club — for dancing
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. club — a group
  23. key — in music
  24. drill — army training

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