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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. dip — to sink
  3. face — part of the head
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hand — in cards
  6. march — the month
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. hand — help
  11. key — for a lock
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. march — the month
  14. court — for sport
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. suit — clothes
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. march — music
  22. suit — to fit
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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