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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. board — to get on
  3. wake — a trail
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. key — for a lock
  11. hand — in cards
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. chest — of your body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. hand — help
  19. board — a committee
  20. fine — all right
  21. present — the time now
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. board — a flat piece

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