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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rock — a stone
  4. season — in sport
  5. key — for a lock
  6. season — of the year
  7. spring — the season
  8. ground — a position
  9. spring — a coil
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ground — crushed
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spring — of water
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. key — in music
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ground — the earth

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