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: temple · stick · date · scale · bound · bank · key · court

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. scale — size or range
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of law
  10. bank — of a river
  11. key — for a lock
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. scale — in music
  17. key — in music
  18. court — of a king
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. key — the most important part
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bound — obliged
  23. court — for sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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