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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. kid — child
  4. face — to confront
  5. bank — for money
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. row — to paddle
  8. root — the cause
  9. key — for a lock
  10. root — of a word
  11. bank — for money
  12. mug — to rob
  13. key — the most important part
  14. face — to point toward
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bank — of a river
  17. row — a line
  18. snap — to click
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mug — a cup
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. key — in music
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. face — part of the head

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