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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. land — a country
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. pit — in a race
  15. scale — size or range
  16. chest — a box
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. key — in music
  24. scale — in music

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