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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. key — in music
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — all right
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. march — the month
  14. tear — to rip
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. march — the month
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fine — high quality
  21. march — music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. perch — the fish

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