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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mate — a partner
  5. roll — a cake
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. rush — hurry
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. mate — to breed
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. key — in music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mate — a friend
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. roll — a list
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hide — to keep secret

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