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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wake — a trail
  4. date — the fruit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. field — a subject
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bass — low music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. field — farmland
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. field — for sport
  24. suit — clothes

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