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: hide · kid · rest · key · spell · can · swing · cue

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rest — a break
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cue — a signal
  7. swing — music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. spell — letters
  19. kid — to tease
  20. spell — magic
  21. kid — child
  22. key — the most important part
  23. swing — in golf
  24. hide — to keep secret

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