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 120 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: kid · lash · vault · key · can · plane · prune · cold

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. key — for a lock
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cold — an illness
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. can — to be able to
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. prune — to trim
  17. can — a tin
  18. cold — not warm
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kid — to tease
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. key — in music

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