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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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. chest — of your body
  4. ground — crushed
  5. chest — a box
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ground — the earth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. firm — a company
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. firm — decided
  18. chest — of your body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ground — a position
  23. stand — to bear
  24. firm — steady

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