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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bank — for money
  7. stand — to bear
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bound — certain
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bound — obliged
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pitch — completely
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stand — for spectators

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