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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wound — an injury
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. root — of a plant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. root — of a word
  22. game — a match
  23. key — in music
  24. rule — to rule out

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