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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fine — high quality
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. row — to paddle
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — in a race
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — all right
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. row — a line
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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