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 120 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: cell · lie · board · fork · pop · shower · suit · key

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. shower — rain
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pop — music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fork — in a road
  8. board — a committee
  9. lie — to recline
  10. shower — to wash
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cell — in biology
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. key — in music
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — to get on
  22. cell — a phone
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fork — to eat with

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