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: key · rule · shower · pit · craft · wound · branch · mark

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. craft — boats
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rule — government
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. branch — a division
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — in music
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. craft — a skill
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rule — a law
  23. shower — rain
  24. wound — an injury

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