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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. pop — music
  3. stock — goods
  4. chest — of your body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stock — shares
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chest — a box
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bound — certain
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. chest — of your body
  14. current — electric
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. current — of water
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. toast — bread
  19. pop — soda
  20. current — happening now
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bound — obliged
  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