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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. pass — a permit
  4. last — finally
  5. key — the most important part
  6. capital — a city
  7. key — for a lock
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. capital — money
  12. club — for dancing
  13. last — final
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — to go on
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. key — in music

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