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 120 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: racket · bass · suit · hide · band · present · spell · key

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bass — low music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. present — a gift
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spell — magic
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — for a lock
  12. band — a ring
  13. spell — a short time
  14. band — a music group
  15. key — in music
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — clothes
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. present — there
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. present — the time now

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