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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — for a lock
  4. firm — decided
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spring — the season
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. firm — a company
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. field — farmland
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. field — a subject
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. firm — steady
  22. field — for sport
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. perch — the fish

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