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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. race — humankind
  6. cap — of ice
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pop — soda
  9. key — in music
  10. hand — in cards
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. race — a contest
  15. mate — to breed
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mate — a partner
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cap — a lid
  22. hand — help
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — a tight spot

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