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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. suit — to fit
  3. swing — music
  4. season — in sport
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. key — the most important part
  9. swing — to play on
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. suit — clothes
  12. season — of the year
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pit — a hole

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