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 · key · straw · bass · capital · temple · mate · season

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. season — in sport
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mate — to breed
  7. season — of the year
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bass — low music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. key — in music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. capital — money
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. capital — a city
  24. bass — the fish

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