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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — the most important part
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. hand — help
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. drill — the tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. object — an aim
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hand — in cards
  23. object — to protest
  24. date — on the calendar

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