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: date · key · present · stand · trunk · pass

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. key — the most important part
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. key — for a lock
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. key — in music
  17. present — the time now
  18. date — the fruit

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