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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. season — of the year
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — a price
  6. prune — to trim
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. season — in sport
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — in control
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. charge — electricity
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mate — a partner
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. mate — a friend

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