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: net · key · fork · plane · stick · racket · court · object

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. net — in sport
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — for catching
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — after costs
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — a thing
  17. key — the most important part
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. plane — a tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. court — of a king
  23. object — to protest
  24. plane — an aircraft

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