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: bay · hide · key · chip · swing · ball · bound · last

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ball — a great time
  3. swing — music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. last — final
  6. bound — tied together
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. swing — in golf
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bound — certain
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bound — obliged
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. last — finally
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. swing — to play on
  24. last — to go on

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