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: hide · chest · key · bulb · track · roll · wake · deal

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — a cake
  6. chest — of your body
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. track — a song
  10. key — in music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — to handle
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. key — for a lock
  18. track — a path
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bulb — of a plant

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