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 are we going to ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. land — to come down
  3. dip — to sink
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mate — a friend
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. branch — a division
  14. land — ground
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. land — a country
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. object — a thing

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