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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. root — the cause
  3. object — to protest
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bat — the animal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. object — a thing
  14. cell — in biology
  15. key — the most important part
  16. swing — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. key — in music
  19. object — an aim
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bound — certain
  22. root — of a word
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bound — tied together

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