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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bore — to drill
  13. file — a line of people
  14. toast — bread
  15. bore — to tire
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a tool
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. file — a document
  23. key — in music
  24. plane — a tool

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