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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. march — music
  5. hand — in cards
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hand — help
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. charge — a price
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rock — a stone
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. charge — in control
  22. kick — in football
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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