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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bound — certain
  3. land — to come down
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bound — obliged
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bank — for money
  11. land — ground
  12. tear — from crying
  13. key — in music
  14. bank — for money
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bound — tied together
  18. board — a committee
  19. land — a country
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bank — of a river
  24. jam — a tight spot

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