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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. object — to protest
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — to tire
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bore — to drill
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. object — a thing
  17. present — there
  18. mate — to breed

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