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: lean · plane · chip · spring · key · leaves · game · dip

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. chip — for betting
  4. spring — a coil
  5. plane — a tool
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spring — the season
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. game — a match
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. spring — of water
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. game — wild animals
  23. key — for a lock
  24. leaves — to go away

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