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 116 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: wind · mouse · suit · kick · lie · key · rock · swing

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. kick — in football
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. key — for a lock
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. swing — music
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. suit — to fit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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