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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. snap — to click
  3. key — for a lock
  4. spring — of water
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mark — a trace
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spring — the season
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rock — music
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. branch — a division
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. key — the most important part
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. temple — a place of worship

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