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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. face — to point toward
  5. staff — a stick
  6. craft — boats
  7. object — an aim
  8. craft — a skill
  9. face — to confront
  10. object — to protest
  11. face — part of the head
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — for a lock
  14. object — a thing
  15. scale — in music
  16. spell — letters
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. scale — size or range
  23. spell — magic
  24. scale — for weighing

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