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: pass · race · spring · key · coach · hide · swing · fan

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. swing — to play on
  4. race — the arms race
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. spring — a coil
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. spring — the season
  10. key — in music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — the most important part
  14. swing — in golf
  15. race — a contest
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pass — a permit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spring — of water
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. race — humankind
  24. fan — a supporter

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