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: pound · band · club · pitcher · object · key · bank · mug

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — a cup
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bank — of a river
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — a group
  13. key — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. object — to protest
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — for golf
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mug — a face
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mug — to rob
  22. band — a ring
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bank — for money

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