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: cabinet · fine · pit · cap · clip · key · toast · craft

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fine — all right
  4. key — the most important part
  5. clip — a video
  6. fine — high quality
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. toast — bread
  10. clip — for paper
  11. key — for a lock
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. clip — to cut
  24. key — in music

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