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 · root · season · cue · bay · pitcher · key · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. root — of a word
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. hand — help
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. season — in sport
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. season — of the year
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — of a plant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. key — for a lock
  24. root — the cause

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