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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. band — a music group
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. content — the amount
  10. key — the most important part
  11. band — a ring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. vault — a safe
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fall — the season
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. content — happy

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