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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. staff — employees
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. spell — a short time
  6. key — the most important part
  7. deal — to handle
  8. squash — to crush
  9. key — for a lock
  10. staff — a stick
  11. club — for dancing
  12. spell — letters
  13. key — in music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. club — for golf
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rush — hurry
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. spell — magic
  21. ball — a great time
  22. staff — employees
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. squash — the vegetable

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