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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. object — an aim
  3. march — the month
  4. cap — a lid
  5. spring — the season
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lean — to bend
  8. key — in music
  9. object — to protest
  10. cap — of ice
  11. spring — a coil
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. march — the month
  15. object — a thing
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. snap — to click
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lean — thin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spring — of water
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. march — music
  24. cap — a hat

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