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 116 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: net · leaves · cap · wind · pound · wake · bore · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bore — to drill
  4. net — for catching
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. net — in sport
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cap — of ice
  11. key — the most important part
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wind — moving air
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wind — moving air
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. net — after costs
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wake — a trail
  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