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 · cabinet · track · spring · shower · wave · bowl · toast

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. key — for a lock
  4. toast — bread
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. shower — rain
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. spring — a coil
  12. shower — to wash
  13. track — a song
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. key — in music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. spring — of water
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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