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: pitcher · trunk · cue · key · dip · plane · kid · pop

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. plane — a tool
  5. dip — to sink
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. key — for a lock
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. key — in music
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pop — to visit
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cue — a signal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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