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: scale · game · dip · swing · key · kid · hand · ruler

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. kid — to tease
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. key — for a lock
  11. scale — size or range
  12. swing — in golf
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. game — wild animals
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. game — a match
  20. dip — to sink
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. scale — in music
  23. swing — music
  24. dip — a sauce

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