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 116 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: band · bound · cue · chip · lash · key · game · cabinet

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — a match
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cue — for pool
  16. key — in music
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bound — obliged
  19. band — a ring
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. cue — a signal
  24. band — a rubber band

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