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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. hand — help
  7. key — in music
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pop — soda
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lie — to recline
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. club — for golf

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