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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. firm — a company
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. key — for a lock
  6. current — electric
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. key — in music
  10. file — a tool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. file — a document
  13. cap — a hat
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ground — the earth
  16. file — a line of people
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. current — happening now
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. current — of water
  24. lash — to lash out

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