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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. last — final
  5. mate — a partner
  6. plane — a tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. shower — rain
  9. pit — in a race
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — a hole
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mate — a friend
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. last — finally
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mate — to breed
  22. swing — to play on
  23. craft — boats
  24. swing — music

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