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: clip · rock · jam · club · ground · stick · patient · key

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — the most important part
  3. clip — for paper
  4. club — a group
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. key — for a lock
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — a position
  10. clip — to cut
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. club — for golf
  16. clip — a video
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ground — the earth
  24. club — for dancing

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