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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. staff — employees
  2. pop — music
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. staff — a stick
  5. track — to keep track
  6. swing — to play on
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. track — a path
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — for a lock
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pop — soda
  18. track — a song
  19. swing — music
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lie — to recline
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  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