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: game · bay · pitcher · key · stick · mark · rest · craft

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — the most important part
  6. craft — boats
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. game — a match
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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