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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ground — crushed
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — a position
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bank — for money
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — the fish
  20. snap — to click
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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