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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — for a lock
  5. spring — the season
  6. hand — in cards
  7. firm — steady
  8. squash — the sport
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. land — a country
  12. key — the most important part
  13. firm — a company
  14. cue — a signal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. spring — of water
  17. cue — for pool
  18. hand — help
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. land — to come down
  21. squash — to crush
  22. spring — a coil
  23. land — ground
  24. firm — decided

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