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: stem · bark · key · march · game · temple · track · squash

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. march — the month
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. track — a song
  9. squash — to crush
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. track — a path
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stem — to come from
  21. game — wild animals
  22. key — the most important part
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bark — of a tree

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