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: key · snap · board · hide · spell · straw · pit · coach

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. key — for a lock
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pit — a hole
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. key — in music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. snap — to click
  11. pit — in a race
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — letters
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. board — a committee
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. spell — a short time

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