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 · fall · stand · present · spring · mate · track · cabinet

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. track — a song
  3. spring — a coil
  4. track — a path
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fall — the season
  10. present — there
  11. mate — to breed
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mate — a partner
  16. spring — the season
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. spring — of water
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fall — to drop
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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