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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. key — in music
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. net — after costs
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — to protest
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. object — a thing
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. object — an aim
  16. net — in sport
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — electric
  19. net — for catching
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mug — a face
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rest — a break
  24. key — for a lock

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