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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. swing — in golf
  3. file — a document
  4. wake — a trail
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — boats
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. file — a tool
  10. swing — music
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. key — in music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bank — of a river
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bass — the fish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bass — low music
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — a skill

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