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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. object — to protest
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. object — an aim
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ground — a position
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. object — a thing
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wake — a trail
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. craft — boats

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