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: cap · key · board · bark · wound · tube · drill · firm

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. key — the most important part
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bark — to shout
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. firm — decided
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. firm — steady
  18. cap — of ice
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — a company
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. key — in music
  24. board — to get on

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