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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. band — a ring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — a price
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. can — a tin
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — electricity
  11. club — for golf
  12. date — the fruit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. charge — in control
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. can — a tin
  19. club — for dancing
  20. can — to be able to
  21. club — a group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. key — the most important part
  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