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 116 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. key — for a lock
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spring — of water
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — in music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rash — a series
  10. firm — a company
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chip — for betting
  20. spring — the season
  21. firm — decided
  22. tear — to rip
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. tube — in a tire

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