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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rush — hurry
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — letters
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. lie — to recline
  16. file — a tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. file — a document
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bass — low music
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

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