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 120 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: key · stem · track · pitcher · fine · sharp · temple · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fine — all right
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. file — a tool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fine — high quality
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — to come from
  19. key — in music
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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