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: mug · scale · wave · rest · wind · pass · mate · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mate — to breed
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — in music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wind — moving air
  15. scale — size or range
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. scale — in music
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — to rob

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