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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. rest — a break
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — a trace
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chair — a leader
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. band — a music group
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spring — of water
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rest — what's left
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. spring — the season
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. band — a ring
  23. spring — a coil
  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