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: mug · chest · fan · object · nail · cabinet · content · key

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. object — a thing
  3. mug — a cup
  4. key — the most important part
  5. content — the amount
  6. key — in music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. chest — of your body
  12. object — an aim
  13. chest — a box
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — happy
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mug — a face
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — to protest

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