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: nail · swing · key · racket · band · roll · cabinet · mug

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mug — a face
  5. key — in music
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — a cake
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. band — a ring
  17. mug — a cup
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. band — a music group
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. swing — music

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