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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. scale — size or range
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. key — in music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pound — a weight
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. swing — music
  20. scale — in music
  21. snap — to click
  22. swing — to play on
  23. key — for a lock
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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