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 120 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 · tube · rush · face · game · stand · wake

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. key — in music
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. season — of the year
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — part of the head
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. face — to confront
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. season — in sport
  24. stand — to bear

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