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: stock · mug · object · toast · spring · hand · plane · key

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mug — a face
  5. stock — goods
  6. key — the most important part
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — an aim
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stock — shares
  14. spring — the season
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. toast — bread
  18. object — a thing
  19. key — in music
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. object — to protest
  22. key — for a lock
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. plane — a tool

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