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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. land — a country
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rest — a break
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. land — ground
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cue — a signal
  13. land — to come down
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. race — a contest
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. race — humankind

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