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 116 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: wound · mine · key · fine · pass · spring · bass · race

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spring — of water
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spring — the season
  7. race — humankind
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bass — the fish
  12. key — for a lock
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fine — all right
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fine — high quality
  21. race — a contest
  22. spring — a coil
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. key — in music

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