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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. object — to protest
  3. key — the most important part
  4. kid — to tease
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. object — an aim
  7. key — in music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. can — a tin
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — a tin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. object — a thing
  21. face — to confront
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. face — to point toward

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