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: fan · mark · temple · cap · key · squash · pop · last

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. last — final
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. key — for a lock
  10. last — finally
  11. pop — music
  12. cap — of ice
  13. last — to go on
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pop — soda
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. key — in music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — a grade
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pop — to visit

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