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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bank — of a river
  5. court — of a king
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — for money
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. court — of law
  13. hand — help
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bank — for money
  16. hand — in cards
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. march — music
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. march — the month
  22. swing — to play on
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. court — for sport

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