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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. spell — a short time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. track — to keep track
  6. file — a tool
  7. sharp — clever
  8. key — in music
  9. file — a line of people
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. file — a document
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spell — magic
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. spell — letters
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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