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: key · mug · craft · march · content · fork · club · firm

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. march — music
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. firm — steady
  5. craft — a skill
  6. content — happy
  7. march — the month
  8. key — the most important part
  9. club — a group
  10. fork — in a road
  11. content — the amount
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. march — the month
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. firm — a company
  18. craft — boats
  19. firm — decided
  20. key — in music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — to rob
  23. club — for dancing
  24. key — for a lock

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