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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lean — thin
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. key — for a lock
  11. branch — a division
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mate — a friend
  14. spell — letters
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spell — magic
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. branch — of a bank

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