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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pop — soda
  6. key — for a lock
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. saw — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pop — to visit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — in music
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rush — hurry
  16. saw — the tool
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wax — to grow
  22. firm — steady
  23. pop — music
  24. rush — to hurry

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