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: scale · bass · racket · leaves · snap · race · key · spring

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. snap — to click
  3. spring — a coil
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. key — in music
  6. spring — the season
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. spring — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bass — low music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bass — the fish
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. key — the most important part
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. key — for a lock
  24. racket — a loud noise

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