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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cap — a lid
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. wake — a trail
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — a tin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cold — an illness
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cold — not warm
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — a tin

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