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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. scale — in music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. key — in music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bank — for money
  13. perch — the fish
  14. plane — a tool
  15. key — the most important part
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — a hat
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bass — the fish

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