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: cabinet · spring · key · foot · plane · mouse · cue · bowl

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. spring — a coil
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. spring — the season
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cue — for pool
  24. spring — of water

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