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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. row — a line
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mate — a partner
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — to breed
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mate — a friend
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rule — government
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rule — a law

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