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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — in music
  3. spell — letters
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — for golf
  6. lie — to recline
  7. game — a match
  8. field — a subject
  9. present — a gift
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rock — music
  14. spell — magic
  15. field — for sport
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rock — a stone
  18. club — a group
  19. key — the most important part
  20. present — there
  21. field — farmland
  22. key — for a lock
  23. present — the time now
  24. game — wild animals

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