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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. swing — to play on
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. track — a path
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. key — in music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a song
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. track — to keep track
  21. capital — a city
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. capital — money
  24. mouse — for a computer

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