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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fall — the season
  4. key — the most important part
  5. band — a ring
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mark — a trace
  9. band — a music group
  10. root — of a plant
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. swing — music
  13. plane — a tool
  14. swing — in golf
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fall — to drop
  17. key — for a lock
  18. root — the cause
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. root — of a word
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — a grade

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