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: key · fork · rule · spring · mouse · mark · row · content

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. key — in music
  3. spring — of water
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rule — a law
  7. content — happy
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. row — a line
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mark — a trace
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. spring — the season
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. content — the amount

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