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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. spring — of water
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. field — a subject
  10. staff — a stick
  11. spring — a coil
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. staff — employees
  18. fine — all right
  19. spring — the season
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. field — for sport
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — the animal

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