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 120 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: land · temple · key · bay · bore · track · bass · squash

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. track — a path
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. key — for a lock
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. track — to keep track
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. key — in music
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. track — a song
  14. land — ground
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bass — low music
  24. land — a country

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