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: nail · pit · bass · bowl · cell · safe · key · march

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. key — in music
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. march — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. march — the month
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. march — the month
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. pit — a hole

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