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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bound — tied together
  4. key — in music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. key — the most important part
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. lean — thin
  10. net — for catching
  11. bound — certain
  12. tear — to rip
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lean — to bend
  18. tear — from crying

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