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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. key — in music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. spring — of water
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. season — in sport
  11. firm — a company
  12. rock — music
  13. season — of the year
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spring — the season
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wound — an injury
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. spring — a coil
  24. saw — the tool

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