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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — in music
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — a gift
  12. key — the most important part
  13. degree — temperature
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. degree — from a university
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. suit — clothes
  22. degree — an amount
  23. cell — in biology
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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