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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. drill — army training
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bound — obliged
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. squash — the sport
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bound — certain
  21. bass — low music
  22. drill — a practice
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bound — tied together

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