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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rest — a break
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. charge — a price
  5. root — the cause
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — in control
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. root — of a word
  12. club — a group
  13. wind — moving air
  14. band — a ring
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for dancing
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. club — for golf
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. charge — electricity
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rest — what's left
  23. band — a music group
  24. rest — what's left

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