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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. key — for a lock
  6. degree — from a university
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. degree — temperature
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. land — ground
  17. present — the time now
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. land — to come down
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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