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: rash · bay · temple · date · pitcher · lash · key · wake

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rash — a series
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. key — in music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. wake — a trail

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