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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. board — to get on
  3. track — to keep track
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. fine — high quality
  9. key — the most important part
  10. track — a song
  11. fine — all right
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. track — a path
  14. land — a country
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rush — hurry
  17. key — in music
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. land — to come down
  20. board — a committee
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wound — an injury
  23. land — ground
  24. wax — in the ear

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