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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the fish
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rush — hurry
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. scale — in music
  18. band — a music group
  19. bound — tied together
  20. band — a ring
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — low music
  24. rest — what's left

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