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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spring — the season
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spring — a coil
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cue — a hint
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. key — in music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — thin
  19. spring — of water
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — a break
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. key — for a lock

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