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: craft · key · wave · content · nail · land · hide · ball

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. content — the amount
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. land — a country
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ball — a great time
  12. land — to come down
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — happy
  18. craft — a skill
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. craft — boats
  21. land — ground
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. ball — a dance
  24. nail — on a finger

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