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 120 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: drill · tube · key · foot · hide · pass · fan · perch

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. perch — the fish
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tube — a container
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — the most important part
  19. foot — a measure
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fan — a supporter

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