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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. charge — in control
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — temperature
  6. file — a line of people
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. key — for a lock
  12. suit — clothes
  13. net — in sport
  14. craft — boats
  15. suit — in cards
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. file — a document
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. file — a tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. key — in music
  24. deal — to handle

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