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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bound — certain
  3. stem — to come from
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. field — farmland
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bound — tied together
  9. field — for sport
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. field — a subject
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rash — a series
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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