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: net · safe · present · spell · track · temple · band · jam

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. net — for catching
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. present — a gift
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. track — a path
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. net — in sport
  12. spell — magic
  13. band — a music group
  14. present — there
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. present — the time now
  17. band — a ring
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. spell — letters
  21. net — after costs
  22. spell — a short time
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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