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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ground — crushed
  8. tube — the underground
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. ground — a position
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stem — to come from
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ground — the earth
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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