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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lie — to recline
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. row — a line
  5. charge — a price
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rock — a stone
  8. charge — electricity
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. degree — from a university
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. degree — temperature
  15. net — after costs
  16. rock — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. degree — an amount
  24. net — for catching

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