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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. key — in music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. key — for a lock
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. key — the most important part
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rash — hasty
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a document
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rash — a series
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. snap — to click
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. plane — a tool
  24. file — a tool

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