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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bound — tied together
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. key — the most important part
  5. staff — employees
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — a committee
  12. lean — thin
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bound — obliged
  18. staff — a stick
  19. foot — a measure
  20. key — for a lock
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. key — in music

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