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: track · key · tube · lean · craft · field · race · temple

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lean — to bend
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — a contest
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. race — humankind
  7. track — a path
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. field — a subject
  14. tube — the underground
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. field — farmland
  19. craft — a skill
  20. tube — a container
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lean — thin
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. field — for sport

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