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: key · nail · firm · bat · present · kick · swing · fork

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fork — in a road
  7. swing — in golf
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — the time now
  10. firm — a company
  11. present — there
  12. key — the most important part
  13. firm — decided
  14. swing — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — the animal
  21. key — in music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. swing — to play 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