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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. degree — from a university
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — to keep track
  9. degree — an amount
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. staff — a stick
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pitch — completely
  18. degree — temperature
  19. kick — in football
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. staff — employees
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — a sports field

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