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: rash · key · mouse · object · arm · shower · current · nail

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. current — happening now
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. object — a thing
  7. shower — to wash
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — in music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. shower — rain
  14. key — the most important part
  15. object — to protest
  16. current — electric
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — of water
  19. rash — a series
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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