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: ruler · spell · plane · cap · key · bay · snap · band

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. spell — a short time
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. band — a music group
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cap — a lid
  13. snap — to click
  14. key — the most important part
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — in music
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. plane — a tool
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. spell — magic
  23. band — a ring
  24. spell — letters

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