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: key · spell · rock · file · spring · bear · fan · board

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. key — the most important part
  10. spring — of water
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spell — magic
  14. spring — the season
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. file — a document
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a tool
  23. key — in music
  24. bear — the animal

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