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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. spell — letters
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. spell — magic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — to trim

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