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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rest — a break
  5. mate — a partner
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mate — a friend
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. stem — to come from
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — what's left
  19. roll — a cake
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rest — what's left

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