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: rash · date · key · firm · present · scale · track · wake

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. present — there
  3. firm — steady
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. track — a song
  15. rash — hasty
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rash — a series
  20. firm — a company
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — decided
  24. scale — size or range

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