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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. key — for a lock
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. chest — a box
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chest — of your body
  14. saw — the tool
  15. hand — help
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. sharp — clever
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. key — in music
  21. firm — a company
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — of your body

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