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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. key — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. race — humankind
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a dance
  13. race — a contest
  14. ball — a great time
  15. key — the most important part
  16. shower — rain
  17. scale — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — the arms race
  21. shower — to wash
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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