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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — a coil
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spring — of water
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spring — the season
  24. fan — a supporter

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