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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. fine — all right
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. board — a committee
  12. degree — temperature
  13. board — to get on
  14. squash — the sport
  15. degree — an amount
  16. wound — an injury
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fork — in a road
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. degree — from a university
  22. key — in music
  23. wound — an injury
  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