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: arm · squash · key · last · root · wave · fine · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. root — of a plant
  7. game — a match
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. last — finally
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. key — for a lock
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. last — final
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. root — of a word
  20. game — wild animals
  21. fine — all right
  22. last — to go on
  23. key — in music
  24. root — the cause

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