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: mouse · rush · content · key · sharp · field · rest · ground

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. field — farmland
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. field — a subject
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. content — happy
  8. ground — crushed
  9. key — the most important part
  10. content — the amount
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ground — a position
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — a break
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ground — the earth
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rest — what's left
  24. content — videos and posts

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