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: mine · cell · key · mark · ball · prune · toast · nail

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — for a lock
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mark — a grade
  10. key — in music
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mine — for digging
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. prune — to trim

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