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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bass — low music
  9. firm — decided
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. firm — a company
  13. bass — the fish
  14. scale — in music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mine — for digging
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chair — a leader
  20. dip — to sink
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. scale — size or range

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