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: can · kid · board · key · wound · bear · nail · craft

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. kid — child
  6. wound — an injury
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. board — a committee
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bear — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — in music
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — for a lock
  18. craft — boats
  19. board — to get on
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. can — to be able to

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