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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — tied together
  3. object — a thing
  4. bore — to drill
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mate — a partner
  10. last — final
  11. object — to protest
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mate — a friend
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. object — an aim
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. mate — to breed
  23. present — there
  24. bound — certain

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