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: key · object · lean · band · rush · snap · squash · cabinet

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. snap — to click
  6. lean — thin
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. key — in music
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rush — hurry
  13. squash — the sport
  14. band — a ring
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. band — a music group
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. key — for a lock
  20. object — a thing
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — to bend
  24. squash — to crush

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