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: march · pass · key · deal · fan · race · cue · coach

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. march — music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. race — humankind
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. march — the month
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pass — a permit
  19. race — a contest
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cue — a signal

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