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 120 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: racket · march · wound · key · band · current · mark · charge

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wound — an injury
  4. key — in music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. band — a ring
  11. current — electric
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. charge — in control
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. charge — a price
  16. current — of water
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. current — happening now
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. key — for a lock
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mark — a trace
  23. band — a music group
  24. mark — a grade

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