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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. firm — steady
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spell — letters
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wax — to grow
  9. key — in music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. firm — decided
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. spell — a short time
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. firm — a company
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mate — to breed
  23. spell — magic
  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