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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pit — in a race
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ground — a position
  8. snap — to click
  9. face — part of the head
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. face — to confront
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a hole
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ground — the earth
  22. face — to point toward
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. ground — crushed

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