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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ground — the earth
  4. tube — the underground
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ground — crushed
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rock — a stone
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fall — the season
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — a position
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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