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: safe · spell · rush · bulb · band · bay · spring · key

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. spell — magic
  3. key — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spring — of water
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rush — hurry
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spring — a coil
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. spring — the season
  17. spell — letters
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. key — for a lock
  24. safe — a strongbox

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