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 · ruler · rule · rest · cue · band · scale · mouse

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — in music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rule — government
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rule — a law
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — in music

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