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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. chip — to eat
  3. key — in music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. craft — a skill
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. deal — to handle
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. shower — rain
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. shower — to wash
  14. file — a tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chip — for betting
  19. file — a line of people
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. key — the most important part
  24. file — a document

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