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: dip · club · nail · key · mine · straw · foot · firm

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. club — a group
  4. firm — a company
  5. mine — for digging
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. foot — a measure
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — decided
  10. dip — to sink
  11. key — the most important part
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. key — in music
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — steady
  23. club — for dancing
  24. foot — part of the body

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