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 120 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bat — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bore — to tire
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. current — happening now
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. staff — a stick
  11. key — in music
  12. sharp — clever
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — of water
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. staff — employees
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. key — the most important part
  20. current — electric
  21. bore — to drill
  22. staff — employees
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. key — for a lock

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