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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bound — obliged
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bound — certain
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. key — in music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bound — tied together
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fork — in a road
  23. toast — bread
  24. fork — to eat with

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