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: tube · net · chest · temple · key · root · saw · ruler

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. tube — the underground
  3. net — for catching
  4. tube — a container
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. key — in music
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. net — in sport
  13. key — for a lock
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. net — after costs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chest — a box
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — the most important part

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