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: lash · fan · land · track · coach · key · roll · cell

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cell — in biology
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. key — in music
  7. track — a path
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. track — to keep track
  10. roll — a list
  11. land — ground
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. land — a country
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. track — a song
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. roll — a cake

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