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: board · season · plane · key · hand · kid · roll · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. key — in music
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. roll — a cake
  11. board — a committee
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. board — to get on
  16. kid — to tease
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. kid — child
  24. roll — a list

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