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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. capital — a city
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bore — to tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. capital — money
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. plane — a tool
  19. key — in music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — in geometry

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