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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. toast — bread
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pit — in a race
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. ground — a position
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wake — before a funeral

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