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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stem — to come from
  4. degree — an amount
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. face — to point toward
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. degree — from a university
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. roll — a list
  21. face — to confront
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. degree — temperature

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