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 · net · roll · bat · plane · mark · pass · lie

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. key — the most important part
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mark — a trace
  7. key — in music
  8. net — in sport
  9. pass — a permit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. net — for catching
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. roll — a list
  15. mark — a grade
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bat — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. lie — to recline

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