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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spring — a coil
  4. key — for a lock
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mug — a face
  7. scale — in music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. face — to confront
  13. bear — the animal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. face — part of the head
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mug — a cup
  19. key — in music
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. scale — size or range
  22. spring — the season
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bear — to put up with

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