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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · mug · rule · pound · suit · key

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mug — a cup
  9. key — in music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rule — a law
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rule — government
  18. pound — to hit hard

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