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

Word bank: field · firm · ball · kick · key · staff · charge · perch

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ball — a dance
  3. perch — the fish
  4. firm — a company
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. key — for a lock
  8. field — for sport
  9. key — the most important part
  10. firm — decided
  11. staff — employees
  12. field — a subject
  13. staff — employees
  14. charge — a price
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. firm — steady
  20. field — farmland
  21. kick — in football
  22. charge — electricity
  23. staff — a stick
  24. charge — in control

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