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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. drill — a practice
  3. board — a committee
  4. key — the most important part
  5. suit — in cards
  6. degree — from a university
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. degree — temperature
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — to recline
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. drill — army training
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — the tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. degree — an amount
  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