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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. firm — steady
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spell — magic
  11. key — for a lock
  12. spring — a coil
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rest — what's left
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. scale — in music
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. firm — a company
  22. scale — size or range
  23. firm — decided
  24. rest — a break

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