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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. march — music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. march — the month
  6. spring — the season
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. key — in music
  11. press — to push
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rash — hasty
  18. march — the month
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. key — the most important part
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. press — a publisher

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