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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — in football
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ball — a great time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ball — a dance

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