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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — in music
  8. tear — from crying
  9. kick — in football
  10. race — the arms race
  11. chip — for betting
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. race — humankind
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. tear — to rip
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. key — the most important part
  21. chip — to eat
  22. race — a contest
  23. tear — from crying
  24. date — the fruit

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