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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. wake — a trail
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wax — to grow
  22. dip — to sink
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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