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: sharp · content · stock · key · club · nail · mug · straw

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mug — a cup
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stock — shares
  6. mug — a face
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. key — in music
  11. content — the amount
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. content — happy
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. club — for golf
  24. stock — goods

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