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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. object — a thing
  4. key — the most important part
  5. file — a document
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. file — a tool
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. key — for a lock
  10. club — a group
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. object — to protest
  13. snap — to click
  14. file — a line of people
  15. club — for dancing
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. object — an aim
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. club — for golf
  22. key — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. kick — in football

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