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: bound · key · bass · rest · can · wax · scale · fork

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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 — for a lock
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — to be able to
  7. key — in music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — a tin
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bound — tied together
  15. scale — in music
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — low music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wax — to grow

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