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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. charge — electricity
  3. root — of a plant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — to bear
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. root — the cause
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. content — the amount
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. root — of a word
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. content — happy

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