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: key · ruler · hand · stick · land · deal · bark · can

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. key — for a lock
  3. deal — to handle
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. land — ground
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. land — a country
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. land — to come down
  22. key — in music
  23. can — a tin
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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