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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — in music
  8. face — part of the head
  9. can — to be able to
  10. court — of law
  11. face — to point toward
  12. key — for a lock
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chest — of your body
  15. face — to confront
  16. court — of a king
  17. chest — of your body
  18. firm — a company
  19. key — the most important part
  20. firm — steady
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chest — a box
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — decided

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