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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. key — the most important part
  4. chest — a box
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — to tease
  7. chest — of your body
  8. swing — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. swing — in golf
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. kid — child
  24. squash — the vegetable

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