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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. key — in music
  3. track — a song
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — in biology
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. toast — bread
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cell — a phone
  15. track — to keep track
  16. scale — in music
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. spring — of water
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. track — a path
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — a coil

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