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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mark — a grade
  3. present — a gift
  4. press — newspapers
  5. tube — a container
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — in music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fork — in a road
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. press — to push
  14. key — for a lock
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. trunk — of a tree

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