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 · file · drill · wound · object · chest · fine · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. file — a line of people
  3. key — for a lock
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — army training
  6. wound — an injury
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fine — all right
  12. file — a tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wound — an injury
  15. file — a document
  16. fine — high quality
  17. chest — of your body
  18. drill — the tool
  19. key — in music
  20. chest — a box
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. object — to protest
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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