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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. net — in sport
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. net — after costs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. net — for catching
  16. firm — a company
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a grade
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. key — in music
  22. firm — decided
  23. mark — a trace
  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