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: vault · band · chest · leaves · bank · mug · key · spell

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mug — a cup
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. bank — for money
  8. mug — to rob
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chest — of your body
  11. key — the most important part
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. key — for a lock
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. mug — a face
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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