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: bass · key · bear · pop · season · snap · firm · rush

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rush — hurry
  3. season — of the year
  4. firm — a company
  5. season — in sport
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pop — to visit
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pop — music
  11. key — in music
  12. firm — steady
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — low music
  16. pop — soda
  17. snap — to click
  18. firm — decided
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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