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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bank — of a river
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. key — in music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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