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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. shower — rain
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. shower — to wash
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. race — a contest
  10. craft — a skill
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. race — the arms race
  13. drill — army training
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. race — humankind
  17. craft — boats
  18. drill — the tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. drill — a practice
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kick — in football
  24. bat — 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