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 124 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. key — in music
  4. bound — obliged
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. key — the most important part
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. spring — of water
  10. rest — a break
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bound — certain
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bound — tied together
  16. staff — a stick
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — employees
  20. perch — the fish
  21. spring — the season
  22. staff — employees
  23. rest — what's left
  24. squash — the sport

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