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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rash — a series
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tear — from crying
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bass — low music
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rash — hasty
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. key — in music

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