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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. object — an aim
  12. charge — a price
  13. spring — of water
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. spring — the season
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pit — in a race
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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