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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. key — for a lock
  7. ball — a great time
  8. key — in music
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — the fish
  13. vault — a safe
  14. key — the most important part
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ball — a dance
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bass — low music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. game — a match
  24. scale — for weighing

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