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 · roll · fork · leaves · game · cue · band · bound

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. game — wild animals
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. roll — a cake
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — a match
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. roll — a list
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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