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: key · lash · fan · band · bound · spell · season · rash

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. band — a music group
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. season — in sport
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. spell — letters
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. key — in music
  14. bound — certain
  15. spell — magic
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bound — tied together
  19. rash — a series
  20. season — of the year
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bound — obliged
  24. season — to add flavour

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