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: key · suit · stick · drill · wake · rash · perch · bay

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rash — a series
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. suit — in cards
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — the fish
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. suit — to fit

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