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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. band — a ring
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. roll — a list
  23. band — a music group
  24. bat — the animal

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