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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cap — a hat
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cap — of ice
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cap — a lid
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kick — in football
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mine — for digging
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pit — in a race

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