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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. key — in music
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. root — of a word
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. root — the cause
  17. ground — the earth
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ground — a position
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ground — crushed

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