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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mate — a friend
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mate — to breed
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. kick — in football
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mate — a partner
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. press — newspapers

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