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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rest — a break
  4. content — happy
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rock — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. content — the amount
  10. kid — child
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. key — in music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. kid — to tease
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rest — what's left
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. dip — to sink
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rock — to move gently

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