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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. capital — money
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — a cake
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. club — for dancing
  13. key — in music
  14. roll — a list
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. club — for golf

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