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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chip — to eat
  4. key — the most important part
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — a stick
  9. tear — from crying
  10. staff — employees
  11. key — in music
  12. pop — soda
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pop — music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. key — for a lock
  17. staff — employees
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. tear — to rip
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chip — for betting

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