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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. key — the most important part
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a music group
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chair — a leader
  17. band — a ring
  18. root — of a plant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. root — the cause
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. root — of a word
  24. chair — a professorship

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