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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. season — of the year
  5. bat — the animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. season — in sport
  9. track — a path
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — in music
  12. pass — a permit
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fall — to drop
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. key — for a lock
  21. track — a song
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pass — to succeed
  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