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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. suit — clothes
  3. key — for a lock
  4. club — for golf
  5. wind — moving air
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. tube — a container
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — to fit
  13. club — a group
  14. lean — thin
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. tube — the underground
  19. club — for dancing
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — the most important part
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. key — in music

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