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 120 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: craft · trunk · key · club · bear · shower · bank · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — a skill
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. key — the most important part
  8. club — for golf
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — in music
  12. craft — boats
  13. shower — rain
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bank — for money
  16. bear — the animal
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bear — the animal
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. club — a group
  24. bank — of a river

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