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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. club — for golf
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. key — in music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. stand — to bear
  13. can — a tin
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. arm — a part of something

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