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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. toast — bread
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. land — a country
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. swing — in golf
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. swing — music
  15. snap — to click
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. key — for a lock
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mate — to breed
  21. swing — to play on
  22. wax — to grow
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mate — a friend

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