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: wake · rash · key · game · pitcher · mark · bass · spell

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. rash — a series
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rash — hasty
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. game — wild animals
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. spell — a short time
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wake — a trail
  19. spell — magic
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bass — low music
  22. game — a match
  23. spell — letters
  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