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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. key — in music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pop — to visit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bound — obliged
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bound — certain
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rest — a break
  17. land — a country
  18. pop — soda
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bound — tied together
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mine — for digging

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