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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. key — for a lock
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. squash — the sport
  11. key — in music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. spring — a coil
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rest — what's left
  18. can — to be able to
  19. club — for dancing
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spring — the season
  22. bore — to drill
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. spring — of water

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