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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spring — of water
  3. key — in music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — tied together
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a great time
  8. spring — the season
  9. ball — a dance
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wound — an injury
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. object — an aim
  20. spring — a coil
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — a thing
  24. bound — certain

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