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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. suit — in cards
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. race — the arms race
  11. key — in music
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. toast — bread
  15. ball — a great time
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — humankind
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cold — an illness
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. race — a contest
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. ball — a dance

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