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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · shower · vault · fan · key · suit · net · tube

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. net — in sport
  5. shower — to wash
  6. suit — clothes
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. tube — the underground
  9. net — for catching
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. net — after costs
  14. shower — rain
  15. tube — a container
  16. suit — to fit
  17. vault — a safe
  18. key — in music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. key — the most important part
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fan — a supporter

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