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: pit · key · rule · dip · cold · trunk · safe · club

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. key — for a lock
  3. club — for golf
  4. cold — an illness
  5. dip — to sink
  6. key — in music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rule — government
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pit — in a race
  16. club — a group
  17. rule — a law
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pit — a hole
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cold — not warm
  24. club — for dancing

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