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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. kid — child
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — soda
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. pop — music
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. kid — to tease
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. key — in music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. scale — in music
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pop — to visit
  19. scale — size or range
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. key — for a lock
  24. coach — a trainer

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