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: rule · mine · lean · deal · stock · key · current · rock

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rock — music
  5. current — of water
  6. lean — to bend
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lean — thin
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. stock — goods
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. current — happening now
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. current — electric
  22. deal — to handle
  23. key — in music
  24. mine — for digging

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