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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. fine — a penalty
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — to shout
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — money
  11. key — in music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fine — high quality
  14. toast — bread
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fine — all right
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. capital — a city
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  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