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: branch · key · bass · arm · rash · foot · board · toast

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. key — for a lock
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bass — the fish
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. branch — a division
  13. bass — low music
  14. rash — hasty
  15. toast — bread
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — a series
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. key — in music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — to get on

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