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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. march — music
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fine — high quality
  8. key — for a lock
  9. march — the month
  10. pit — in a race
  11. march — the month
  12. bound — tied together
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cue — a hint
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fine — all right
  20. key — in music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bound — certain
  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