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: spell · toast · scale · bear · trunk · land · key · craft

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. land — ground
  9. spell — letters
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. key — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. land — to come down
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. spell — a short time
  16. toast — bread
  17. land — a country
  18. key — the most important part
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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