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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. file — a tool
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bass — low music
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bass — the fish

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