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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rest — a break
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — a song
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. key — in music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. key — the most important part
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wound — an injury
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — an injury

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