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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bank — for money
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bank — for money
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. snap — to click
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bank — of a river

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