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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. chest — a box
  3. key — in music
  4. chest — of your body
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. suit — to fit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. current — of water
  13. mine — for digging
  14. current — happening now
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. current — electric
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chest — of your body
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — to shout
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pound — a weight

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