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: mine · face · lie · rule · spring · temple · press · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — a law
  4. spring — the season
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. face — part of the head
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — for a lock
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. press — newspapers
  20. key — in music
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lie — to recline
  24. press — to push

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