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: key · tear · mark · current · bay · last · mine · stand

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — in music
  5. last — to go on
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. current — happening now
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. last — finally
  10. mine — for digging
  11. stand — to bear
  12. last — final
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tear — from crying
  18. key — the most important part
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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