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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rock — music
  12. ball — a dance
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rock — a stone
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. deal — to handle
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. leaves — of a tree

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