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: deal · bass · key · lie · fork · date · pop · object

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. key — for a lock
  3. object — an aim
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. object — to protest
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pop — to visit
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. object — a thing
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. date — the fruit
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pop — music
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. deal — to handle
  24. date — on the calendar

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