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

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. foot — a measure
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. press — newspapers
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. press — to push
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. press — a publisher
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. arm — a part of something

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