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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. board — a committee
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — in music
  16. board — to get on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fine — high quality
  20. key — for a lock
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wax — in the ear

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