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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bore — to tire
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spring — the season
  9. bass — low music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wax — to grow
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — of water
  16. bass — the fish
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a face
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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