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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. spring — of water
  7. bound — obliged
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spring — a coil
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. net — for catching
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bound — certain
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. wake — a trail
  17. season — of the year
  18. suit — clothes
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. net — in sport
  21. bound — tied together
  22. season — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. key — in music

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