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: key · plane · staff · sharp · fan · bear · scale · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — clever
  5. staff — employees
  6. plane — a tool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — in music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. sharp — with an edge

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