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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. ground — a position
  10. content — happy
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bulb — for light
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — in music
  18. branch — a division
  19. content — the amount
  20. rest — a break
  21. lie — to recline
  22. key — for a lock
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. rest — what's left

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