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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kick — in football
  3. key — for a lock
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cue — a signal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cue — a hint
  15. scale — in music
  16. game — a match
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. game — wild animals
  19. stock — goods
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cue — for pool
  24. scale — for weighing

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