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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. club — for dancing
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. club — for golf
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. band — a ring
  9. sharp — clever
  10. net — for catching
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. net — in sport
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. key — in music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. band — a music group
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. key — for a lock
  24. club — a group

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