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: ground · fan · pit · key · fork · vault · content · cue

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. fork — in a road
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. content — happy
  11. cue — a signal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. pit — a hole
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — in a race
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — a hint
  23. content — the amount
  24. ground — a position

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