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: nail · key · bound · mouse · scale · plane · file · wake

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wake — a trail
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. file — a document
  8. key — in music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bound — certain
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. scale — in music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. key — the most important part
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bound — obliged
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. scale — size or range
  24. file — a tool

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