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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. rock — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stock — goods
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rock — a stone
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. chair — a leader
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stock — shares

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