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: perch · arm · nail · cold · plane · row · date · key

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. row — to paddle
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cold — an illness
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. date — the fruit
  19. perch — the fish
  20. key — the most important part
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cold — not warm

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