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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ground — the earth
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pop — soda
  8. key — the most important part
  9. ground — crushed
  10. key — for a lock
  11. last — to go on
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — a position
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pop — to visit
  18. last — final
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spell — magic
  21. pop — music
  22. key — in music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spell — letters

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