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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spell — a short time
  4. key — for a lock
  5. spell — magic
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. spell — letters
  8. mug — a face
  9. board — to get on
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. key — in music
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — a cup
  15. track — a song
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. track — to keep track
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fine — all right
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. board — a committee
  24. squash — the vegetable

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