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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hand — help
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. key — the most important part
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pop — soda
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. season — in sport
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mouse — for a computer

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