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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mug — a cup
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mug — to rob
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wound — an injury
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wound — an injury
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a face
  20. game — wild animals
  21. suit — in cards
  22. present — a gift
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — clothes

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