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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. club — a group
  5. press — newspapers
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. key — in music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cold — not warm
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rock — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. press — a publisher
  21. key — for a lock
  22. club — for golf
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mouse — for a computer

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