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 116 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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. key — for a lock
  11. kid — to tease
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. scale — size or range
  14. kid — child
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rush — hurry
  19. key — in music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. scale — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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