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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. land — to come down
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. kick — in football
  5. bound — certain
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. band — a ring
  8. face — to point toward
  9. land — ground
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. land — a country
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. band — a music group
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. face — part of the head
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bound — tied together
  24. face — to confront

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