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: mate · scale · calf · rock · wax · swing · mug · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — music
  6. scale — in music
  7. mate — to breed
  8. swing — music
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mate — a friend
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mate — a partner
  17. scale — size or range
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wax — to grow
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mug — to rob
  24. calf — a young 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