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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — a group
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mine — for digging
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hand — help
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. club — for dancing
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. key — in music
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hide — to keep secret

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