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: ball · branch · spring · spell · key · bank · fan · season

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. key — the most important part
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. season — of the year
  5. bank — for money
  6. spring — a coil
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a great time
  9. season — in sport
  10. key — for a lock
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. branch — a division
  22. key — in music
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bank — for money

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