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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wind — moving air
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. board — to get on
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — music
  16. key — in music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. last — finally
  20. can — a tin
  21. board — a committee
  22. last — final
  23. can — a tin
  24. key — the most important part

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