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: kick · suit · plane · current · file · bat · face · key

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bat — the animal
  5. file — a tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. current — happening now
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. current — of water
  12. plane — a tool
  13. current — electric
  14. file — a line of people
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. file — a document
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. face — to point toward
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. face — to confront
  24. plane — an aircraft

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