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: wave · bay · pit · patient · land · key · nail · stick

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. key — for a lock
  3. land — a country
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. key — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — the most important part
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. land — to come down
  19. pit — a hole
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — on a finger

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