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: key · straw · deal · arm · temple · rest · kick · mark

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. key — the most important part
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rest — what's left
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rest — a break
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mark — a grade
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. kick — in football
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. temple — side of the head

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