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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. key — the most important part
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. kick — in football
  6. rest — a break
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. key — in music
  24. rest — what's left

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