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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — hurry
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. kick — in football
  9. present — there
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. key — in music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — the most important part
  16. present — a gift
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. present — the time now
  20. row — to paddle
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. row — a line
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rash — on the skin

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