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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bound — tied together
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ground — the earth
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bound — obliged
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — of ice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — certain
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. key — in music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ground — a position

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