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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cell — in biology
  5. drill — army training
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rush — hurry
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. cell — a phone
  13. key — in music
  14. season — of the year
  15. drill — a practice
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. drill — the tool
  19. season — in sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — for a lock

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