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: trunk · key · temple · craft · pitcher · content · hide · object

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — the most important part
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. object — to protest
  6. content — the amount
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — a thing
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. key — for a lock
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. craft — boats
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. object — an aim
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. content — happy

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