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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. key — the most important part
  5. spring — of water
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. spring — the season
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rock — music
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. key — in music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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