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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. hand — help
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bank — of a river
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. key — for a lock
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. key — in music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hand — in cards

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