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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. roll — a list
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. club — for golf
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. club — for dancing
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mine — for digging
  17. toast — bread
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. roll — a cake
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rock — a stone
  22. club — a group
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. roll — on a roll

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