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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — for a lock
  3. land — a country
  4. spring — the season
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. key — in music
  7. mug — a face
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. land — ground
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. root — the cause
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. land — to come down
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. spring — of water
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bear — the animal

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