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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spell — letters
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. shower — rain
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pass — a permit
  13. last — finally
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. last — to go on
  17. key — in music
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cue — a hint
  21. shower — to wash
  22. key — for a lock
  23. last — final
  24. cue — for pool

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