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: key · club · ball · leaves · pound · mug · chest · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pound — a weight
  5. key — the most important part
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. key — in music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — a group
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. mug — to rob
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mug — a face
  24. key — for a lock

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