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: track · cap · fan · key · bound · wax · mate · cue

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. track — a path
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cue — a hint
  8. key — the most important part
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mate — to breed
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. track — a song
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bound — certain
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mate — a partner
  24. key — in music

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