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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · lie · key · press · fork · race

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. lie — to recline
  3. key — in music
  4. press — a publisher
  5. race — a contest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fork — in a road
  9. key — the most important part
  10. club — a group
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. press — to push
  14. race — humankind
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. key — for a lock
  18. club — for dancing

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