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: wind · pit · game · fork · hand · object · drill · key

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. object — to protest
  3. key — the most important part
  4. object — an aim
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wind — moving air
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. key — in music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. object — a thing
  12. hand — help
  13. fork — in a road
  14. drill — army training
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pit — a hole
  21. game — a match
  22. drill — the tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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