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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wound — an injury
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. board — a committee
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. key — in music
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. board — to get on
  11. season — of the year
  12. swing — music
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitch — completely
  15. can — a tin
  16. key — for a lock
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wound — an injury
  19. swing — in golf
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — a price
  22. season — in sport
  23. charge — electricity
  24. swing — to play on

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