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 116 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: kid · object · fan · rush · spring · cap · key · nail

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. spring — a coil
  3. object — to protest
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spring — of water
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spring — the season
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — in music
  16. object — an aim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — to tease
  20. key — for a lock
  21. object — a thing
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fan — a supporter

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