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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cap — a lid
  5. key — for a lock
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — the most important part
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mate — a partner
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pop — music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mate — to breed
  16. spell — letters
  17. key — in music
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pop — soda
  22. mate — a friend
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spell — magic

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