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: lean · wave · drill · temple · date · perch · key · sharp

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. sharp — clever
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — for a lock
  6. drill — the tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — in music
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. date — the fruit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. drill — a practice
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lean — to bend
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. drill — army training
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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