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: press · degree · temple · land · date · track · calf · rash

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. degree — from a university
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rash — hasty
  8. press — a publisher
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rash — a series
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. land — a country
  13. land — ground
  14. track — a path
  15. land — to come down
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — an amount
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. date — the fruit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. track — a song
  23. press — to push
  24. calf — a young animal

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