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: coach · fine · track · key · sharp · content · stick · cold

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fine — all right
  3. key — in music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a song
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. track — a path
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fine — high quality
  16. key — for a lock
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. content — happy
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — not warm
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. content — the amount
  24. key — the most important part

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