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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rash — a series
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. key — for a lock
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cap — a hat
  14. key — the most important part
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rash — hasty
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bulb — for light
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. key — in music

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