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 looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fine — all right
  6. tube — a container
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cap — a hat
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. key — for a lock
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cap — of ice
  18. tube — the underground
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — magic
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cap — a lid
  24. racket — a loud noise

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