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: cabinet · kick · key · bass · rule · pitch · last · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. band — a rubber band
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pitch — completely
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. last — finally
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rule — a law
  8. bass — the fish
  9. kick — in football
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rule — government
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. last — final
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. last — to go on
  23. rule — to rule out
  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