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: bulb · rash · swing · fall · lie · arm · pitcher · key

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fall — to drop
  7. key — in music
  8. swing — music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. key — the most important part
  11. lie — to recline
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rash — a series
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. fall — the season
  23. rash — hasty
  24. arm — part of the body

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