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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bound — tied together
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. face — to confront
  7. bound — certain
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pop — music
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pop — soda
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bat — the animal

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