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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fine — all right
  8. key — in music
  9. root — of a word
  10. chest — of your body
  11. root — of a plant
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mate — a partner
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. mate — a friend
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — the cause
  23. chest — a box
  24. firm — a company

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