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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mug — a face
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bound — tied together
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bound — certain
  12. game — a match
  13. foot — a measure
  14. band — a ring
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. club — for dancing
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. mug — a cup
  24. band — a music group

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