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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. key — the most important part
  5. drill — army training
  6. foot — a measure
  7. key — for a lock
  8. shower — rain
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — of a river
  11. drill — a practice
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. key — in music
  14. bank — for money
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. drill — the tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head

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