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 124 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. degree — an amount
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — to recline
  5. club — a group
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. craft — boats
  9. degree — from a university
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. club — for dancing
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. degree — temperature
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fine — all right
  24. toast — bread

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