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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. key — the most important part
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. key — for a lock
  9. current — electric
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. key — in music
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ball — a great time
  16. charge — a price
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — in control
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. wound — an injury
  24. perch — the fish

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