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: hand · rule · key · pit · last · craft · lean · mouse

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hand — in cards
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lean — thin
  5. last — finally
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. last — final
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. last — to go on
  13. craft — boats
  14. rule — government
  15. hand — help
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. pit — a hole
  22. key — in music
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. lean — to bend

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