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: sharp · rush · row · nail · key · perch · dip · cap

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. dip — to sink
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cap — a hat
  8. key — in music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. row — a line
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cap — a lid
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. row — to paddle
  20. sharp — clever
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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