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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. key — the most important part
  3. land — a country
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. saw — the tool
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. land — to come down
  10. key — in music
  11. cue — a hint
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cue — for pool
  14. land — ground
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. key — for a lock

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