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 120 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: spell · arm · lie · key · kick · content · chest · firm

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — to recline
  8. content — happy
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chest — a box
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chest — of your body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. key — in music
  15. chest — of your body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. firm — a company
  19. spell — magic
  20. firm — steady
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. key — the most important part
  24. firm — decided

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