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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. firm — a company
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. firm — decided
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mug — a face
  10. plane — a tool
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cell — in biology
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mug — a cup
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mug — to rob
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wake — a trail
  23. firm — steady
  24. cell — a phone

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