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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. key — the most important part
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. capital — a city
  9. key — in music
  10. hand — help
  11. wax — to grow
  12. hand — in cards
  13. net — for catching
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. mark — a grade
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bore — to tire
  21. net — in sport
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. net — after costs

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