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: jam · fan · row · leaves · object · hand · key · pitch

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. key — in music
  5. hand — in cards
  6. object — to protest
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. object — a thing
  10. key — for a lock
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. key — the most important part
  16. row — to paddle
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — a line
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pitch — completely
  24. object — an aim

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