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 120 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: chair · bay · fan · net · march · trunk · key · pit

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. net — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. net — after costs
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. key — in music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — for catching
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. march — 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