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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cap — a hat
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bulb — for light
  6. object — a thing
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. key — the most important part
  19. track — a path
  20. pass — a permit
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. object — to protest
  24. key — in music

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