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: club · fan · toast · spell · ruler · march · key · race

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. march — the month
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. race — the arms race
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. spell — magic
  13. race — humankind
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. race — a contest
  17. key — in music
  18. march — music
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spell — a short time
  24. key — for a lock

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