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

Word bank: temple · staff · key · row · tear · race

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. tear — from crying
  3. race — the arms race
  4. row — a line
  5. staff — employees
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. race — a contest
  10. tear — to rip
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. staff — a stick
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — in music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. race — humankind
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. key — for a lock

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