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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spring — of water
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. key — the most important part
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rock — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — to sink
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. dip — a sauce

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