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: game · fan · season · bay · key · snap · lean · row

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — of the year
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — the most important part
  6. row — to paddle
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. row — a line
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to click
  22. season — in sport
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. key — in 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