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: mark · spring · club · dip · snap · mouse · season · key

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mark — a grade
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. key — for a lock
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. club — a group
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — in music
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spring — of water
  14. snap — to click
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — a trace
  17. season — in sport
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. key — the most important part
  24. dip — to sink

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