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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rash — a series
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mate — a friend
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — hasty
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. drill — army training
  12. shower — to wash
  13. drill — a practice
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bank — for money
  17. mate — a partner
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. drill — the tool
  20. foot — a measure
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — rain

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