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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. face — part of the head
  4. saw — the tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. swing — to play on
  7. kick — in football
  8. object — an aim
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. key — in music
  13. face — to confront
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. key — the most important part
  16. swing — music
  17. object — a thing
  18. saw — the tool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. swing — in golf
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. face — to point toward
  23. key — for a lock
  24. dip — to dunk

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