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: date · dip · bass · hand · leaves · key · craft · nail

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. key — in music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bass — the fish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. craft — a skill
  17. key — the most important part
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bass — low music
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. hand — in cards
  24. date — the fruit

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