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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. key — the most important part
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. chest — a box
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. vault — a safe
  14. key — in music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. date — the fruit
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. key — for a lock
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fork — in a road

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