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: march · mark · rule · can · key · ground · calf · straw

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mark — a trace
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. key — the most important part
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — music
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rule — a law
  13. march — the month
  14. mark — a grade
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. ground — crushed
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. rule — government
  21. key — in music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. march — the month
  24. mark — to pay attention

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