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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. spell — letters
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spell — magic
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — temperature
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rush — hurry
  18. craft — boats
  19. spell — a short time
  20. staff — employees
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. degree — an amount

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