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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ground — a position
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. firm — a company
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ground — the earth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. firm — steady
  13. lie — to recline
  14. board — to get on
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. ball — a great time
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pit — in a race
  23. firm — decided
  24. board — a committee

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