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: lie · craft · key · racket · bound · bark · coach · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — boats
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. key — in music
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bound — obliged
  19. craft — a skill
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bound — certain

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