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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. key — for a lock
  3. plane — a tool
  4. key — in music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bat — the animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bass — the fish
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. staff — employees
  24. perch — for a bird

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