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 · arm · foot · chair · cap · mate · mark · dip

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mate — to breed
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mate — a partner
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cap — a hat
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mate — a friend
  24. key — in music

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