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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. season — of the year
  3. staff — employees
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. dip — to sink
  6. staff — employees
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — the month
  9. season — in sport
  10. key — for a lock
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bark — to shout
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bark — of a tree

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