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 · temple · key · date · spell · last · ground · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ground — crushed
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. key — for a lock
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — to keep track
  10. key — the most important part
  11. track — a path
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. last — finally
  17. ground — the earth
  18. spell — letters
  19. last — to go on
  20. ground — a position
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. last — final
  23. track — a song
  24. key — in music

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