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: present · band · fine · bay · calf · nail · key · lean

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. fine — all right
  11. key — the most important part
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — there
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. lean — thin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lean — to bend
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. present — the time now

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