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 120 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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. chest — a box
  3. net — after costs
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. net — in sport
  9. charge — a price
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. key — the most important part
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chest — of your body
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — in cards
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — in music
  21. fine — all right
  22. chest — of your body
  23. charge — in control
  24. fine — high quality

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