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: cabinet · fall · charge · suit · hand · hide · key · degree

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. charge — in control
  5. hand — help
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — the most important part
  10. degree — an amount
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — to drop
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fall — to drop
  18. degree — temperature
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fall — the season
  21. key — in music
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — a price

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