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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. suit — in cards
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pit — in a race
  13. key — in music
  14. tube — a container
  15. ball — a great time
  16. staff — a stick
  17. suit — to fit
  18. race — humankind
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. race — the arms race
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — from a university
  24. staff — employees

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