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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. rock — a stone
  6. object — a thing
  7. track — a path
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. club — for dancing
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. object — to protest
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. object — an aim
  17. rock — music
  18. track — a song
  19. key — the most important part
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. wind — moving air
  23. row — a line
  24. track — to keep track

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