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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. object — an aim
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. roll — a list
  6. object — to protest
  7. key — for a lock
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. key — in music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — a thing
  20. key — the most important part
  21. can — a tin
  22. band — a ring
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pass — a permit

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