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: stand · key · lie · safe · spring · bay · cabinet · game

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. game — wild animals
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lie — to recline
  8. game — a match
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spring — of water
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spring — a coil
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spring — the season
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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