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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. scale — in music
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. snap — to click
  15. cap — of ice
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. squash — to crush
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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