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: straw · pop · cabinet · hide · pound · swing · shower · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. 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. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. swing — in golf
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. shower — to wash
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pop — music
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. shower — rain
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pop — soda
  16. swing — music
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pop — to visit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. 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