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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. spell — a short time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cue — a signal
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. last — final
  13. wax — to grow
  14. spell — magic
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. last — to go on
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spell — letters
  22. cue — a hint
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wax — for sculpting

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