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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — in music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. present — a gift
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. present — the time now
  15. key — for a lock
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. present — there
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. toast — bread
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rush — hurry

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