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: bay · craft · key · file · drill · net · wound · hide

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. net — for catching
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. key — for a lock
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. craft — boats
  8. file — a line of people
  9. drill — army training
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. file — a document
  15. craft — a skill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — the most important part
  18. drill — a practice
  19. net — in sport
  20. wound — an injury
  21. net — after costs
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wound — an injury
  24. craft — a handicraft

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