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: key · toast · swing · rock · tube · wind · branch · wake

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. tube — the underground
  5. key — for a lock
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wind — moving air
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. swing — to play on
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. swing — in golf
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. branch — a division
  18. rock — music
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. swing — music
  21. tube — a container
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. wake — a trail

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