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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pound — a weight
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. sharp — clever
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lean — thin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. foot — a measure
  14. toast — bread
  15. lean — to bend
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. foot — the bottom

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