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: season · key · race · tube · stand · date · jam · fan

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. key — in music
  3. season — in sport
  4. key — for a lock
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. tube — the underground
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stand — to bear
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. date — the fruit
  21. tube — a container
  22. race — humankind
  23. season — of the year
  24. fan — to cool the air

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