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 · ground · stock · date · arm · file · cue · board

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. file — a document
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. file — a tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — a committee
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cue — for pool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ground — a position
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. key — in music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cue — a signal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cue — a hint
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. ground — crushed
  24. arm — a part of something

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