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: last · object · chest · roll · key · pass · foot · tube

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. roll — a cake
  3. object — to protest
  4. roll — a list
  5. chest — of your body
  6. tube — the underground
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. last — to go on
  10. object — a thing
  11. chest — a box
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chest — of your body
  16. last — final
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tube — a container
  24. object — an aim

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