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: sharp · nail · key · object · file · hand · board · rock

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. key — in music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. object — a thing
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. sharp — clever
  12. hand — in cards
  13. rock — music
  14. board — to get on
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. file — a line of people
  17. hand — help
  18. key — the most important part
  19. file — a tool
  20. rock — a stone
  21. object — to protest
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. file — a document

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