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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hand — in cards
  3. key — in music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ball — a great time
  9. file — a document
  10. march — music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — the fish
  19. hand — help
  20. bass — low music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. march — the month

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