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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · key · chest · firm · board · toast · spring · rock

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. chest — of your body
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chest — of your body
  6. toast — bread
  7. key — in music
  8. firm — decided
  9. chest — a box
  10. spring — of water
  11. board — to get on
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. firm — steady
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — a company
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rock — music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. spring — the season
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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