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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bat — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. key — the most important part
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. wake — a trail
  20. plane — a tool
  21. craft — boats
  22. court — of law
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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