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: rock · toast · key · fork · lie · squash · spell · pit

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pit — a hole
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. spell — magic
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. spell — a short time
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fork — in a road
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. toast — bread
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — the most important part
  24. spell — letters

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