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 120 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: key · pit · saw · plane · kid · spring · object · foot

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spring — a coil
  4. foot — a measure
  5. key — for a lock
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spring — of water
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. spring — the season
  22. kid — to tease
  23. object — an aim
  24. key — the most important part

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