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: scale · perch · nail · date · key · fork · bound · roll

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — certain
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. key — for a lock
  8. date — the fruit
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. roll — a cake
  11. scale — in music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — in a road
  14. scale — size or range
  15. perch — the fish
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. roll — a list
  18. bound — tied together
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. scale — for weighing

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