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: pitcher · temple · toast · sharp · track · key · tube · content

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. content — the amount
  3. tube — the underground
  4. track — to keep track
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. key — in music
  7. content — happy
  8. tube — a container
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. track — a song
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. toast — bread
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — for a lock
  23. track — a path
  24. key — the most important part

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