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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pass — a permit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bass — low music
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stock — goods
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stock — shares
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. row — a line

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