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: drill · leaves · key · wake · mouse · pit · season · row

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. key — the most important part
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. drill — army training
  9. season — of the year
  10. key — in music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. drill — the tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wake — a trail
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. drill — a practice
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. key — for a lock
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. season — in sport
  24. row — a line

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