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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. band — a music group
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. net — in sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. net — for catching
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. hand — help
  24. temple — a place of worship

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