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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — in cards
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. kick — in football
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. suit — clothes
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chair — a leader
  23. key — in music
  24. season — of the year

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