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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. present — there
  3. rest — a break
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. staff — employees
  7. drill — army training
  8. rule — a law
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. spring — of water
  16. drill — a practice
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rule — government
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. spring — a coil
  22. perch — the fish
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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