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: content · spring · mug · wind · key · mate · saw · clip

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — a friend
  14. content — the amount
  15. spring — of water
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wind — moving air
  18. content — happy
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. mate — to breed
  24. content — videos and posts

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