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: mine · fall · key · suit · stem · mouse · season · firm

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — in music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. fall — the season
  24. firm — decided

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