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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — to come from
  3. hand — in cards
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. face — to point toward
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chair — a leader
  11. toast — bread
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — help
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. face — to confront
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ball — a dance
  21. face — part of the head
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. deal — a big deal

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