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: rock · key · foot · track · kid · plane · safe · ground

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kid — to tease
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rock — a stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. plane — a tool
  10. track — a song
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — to keep track
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. foot — a measure
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ground — the earth
  18. kid — child
  19. ground — a position
  20. key — the most important part
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. key — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. track — a path

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