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: rock · key · march · hand · current · pass · toast · chest

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pass — a permit
  3. key — in music
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. current — of water
  9. march — the month
  10. chest — of your body
  11. current — electric
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hand — help
  14. rock — music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chest — a box
  17. hand — in cards
  18. march — the month
  19. current — happening now
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. march — music
  24. rock — a stone

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