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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rock — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. last — to go on
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. last — finally
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. last — final
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — rain
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bass — the fish

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