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: hand · lie · drill · can · key · march · roll · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — in music
  3. roll — a list
  4. hand — in cards
  5. march — the month
  6. drill — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. drill — army training
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. roll — a cake
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. lie — to recline
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. can — to be able to
  23. drill — a practice
  24. hand — help

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