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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cell — a phone
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stand — to bear
  15. kid — to tease
  16. cell — in biology
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. kid — child
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. file — a document
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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