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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pop — to visit
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — soda
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lean — to bend
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pop — music
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rash — a series
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chair — a leader
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stem — to come from
  24. lean — to rest against

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