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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. date — the fruit
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. vault — a safe
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. plane — a tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chip — to eat
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kid — child
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kid — to tease

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