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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. face — to point toward
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. key — in music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stock — goods
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. kid — child
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. kid — to tease

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