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: ball · club · ground · key · pound · band · plane · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ball — a dance
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. key — in music
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ground — crushed
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. ground — a position
  15. club — a group
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pound — a weight
  19. key — for a lock
  20. band — a music group
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. band — a ring
  23. plane — a tool
  24. club — for golf

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