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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · straw · bound · calf · branch · staff · plane · squash

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bound — obliged
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bound — certain
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. plane — a tool
  16. squash — the sport
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. squash — to crush
  19. branch — a division
  20. staff — a stick
  21. key — the most important part
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. key — in music
  24. squash — the vegetable

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