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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mark — a trace
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mine — for digging

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