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: suit · coach · saw · tear · fine · roll · key · rest

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — in cards
  5. key — the most important part
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fine — all right
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rest — a break
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tear — from crying
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. fine — high quality
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. tear — from crying
  22. roll — a list
  23. key — in music
  24. tear — to rip

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