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: field · key · saw · mug · fan · charge · spring · degree

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. spring — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. key — for a lock
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. field — for sport
  9. charge — in control
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mug — a cup
  12. degree — from a university
  13. charge — electricity
  14. degree — an amount
  15. spring — the season
  16. field — a subject
  17. mug — a face
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — a price
  20. mug — to rob
  21. degree — temperature
  22. field — farmland
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. key — the most important part

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