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: racket · mug · march · rule · bass · bay · spell · key

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. march — music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mug — to rob
  7. spell — a short time
  8. march — the month
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mug — a face
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rule — government
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. march — the month
  16. spell — magic
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bass — low music
  21. spell — letters
  22. rule — a law
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. key — for a lock

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