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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. hand — in cards
  6. vault — a safe
  7. club — for golf
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. club — for dancing
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. swing — music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bank — for money
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. hand — help
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chest — a box
  23. bulb — for light
  24. club — a group

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