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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. key — the most important part
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. clip — a video
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bore — to tire
  10. staff — employees
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — a price
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bore — to drill
  19. key — in music
  20. clip — to cut
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. charge — in control
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. staff — employees

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