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 120 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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. staff — a stick
  3. land — to come down
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. suit — to fit
  8. root — the cause
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. key — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — of a plant
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — for a lock
  16. land — a country
  17. staff — employees
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — ground
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. root — of a word
  24. key — the most important part

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