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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mug — a face
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cue — for pool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stock — goods
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rule — a law
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — in music
  18. branch — a division
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stock — shares
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. branch — of a tree

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