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 116 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: bound · key · fine · lean · wound · fork · plane · lie

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fine — all right
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lean — thin
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fine — high quality
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fork — to eat with

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