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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. season — in sport
  4. key — the most important part
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — in music
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. drill — a practice
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — in music
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. season — of the year
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. scale — for weighing

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