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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tear — from crying
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. key — for a lock
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. key — in music
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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