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 116 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: branch · cue · swing · key · pass · fine · game · pit

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. key — for a lock
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — in music
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. branch — a division
  14. game — a match
  15. cue — for pool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. key — the most important part
  21. swing — music
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fine — high quality
  24. game — a kind of play

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