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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. last — finally
  3. key — the most important part
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — in music
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. drill — a practice
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. drill — the tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. swing — to play on
  14. drill — army training
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. key — in music
  24. stand — for spectators

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