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

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mark — a trace
  8. key — in music
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. spring — of water
  17. key — the most important part
  18. field — farmland

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