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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pop — music
  3. present — the time now
  4. club — for golf
  5. present — a gift
  6. bark — to shout
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. key — for a lock
  15. club — a group
  16. key — in music
  17. pop — soda
  18. mug — a face
  19. present — there
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. lean — thin
  24. club — for dancing

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