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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — the cause
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — to recline
  6. root — of a word
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fine — all right
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. key — for a lock
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — high quality
  16. chest — a box
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. scale — in music
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. root — of a plant
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. scale — size or range

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