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: bat · wake · temple · key · stand · deal · plane · club

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — in music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bat — the animal
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stand — to bear
  12. club — for dancing
  13. plane — a tool
  14. key — for a lock
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. club — for golf
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wake — a trail
  23. club — a group
  24. stand — for spectators

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