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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. race — the arms race
  7. stem — to come from
  8. race — a contest
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. shower — rain
  13. mate — a friend
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. race — humankind
  17. fork — in a road
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. shower — to wash
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fork — to eat with

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