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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bass — low music
  5. bank — for money
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rock — music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rock — a stone
  14. march — music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. march — the month
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. key — in music
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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