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: fine · last · key · ball · toast · firm · net · band

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. key — for a lock
  4. last — final
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. firm — decided
  7. band — a ring
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ball — a great time
  10. key — the most important part
  11. band — a music group
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. firm — a company
  14. net — after costs
  15. fine — all right
  16. net — in sport
  17. key — in music
  18. ball — a dance
  19. last — to go on
  20. firm — steady
  21. last — finally
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. net — for catching
  24. toast — bread

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