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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. capital — money
  3. key — the most important part
  4. charge — in control
  5. capital — a city
  6. mate — a partner
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. root — of a word
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wake — a trail
  14. key — for a lock
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mate — a friend
  22. root — the cause
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. root — of a plant

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