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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — to tire
  4. spell — magic
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. present — a gift
  13. pop — soda
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. key — in music
  18. pop — music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bore — to drill
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. spell — letters
  24. pop — to visit

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