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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. tube — a container
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mate — a partner
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fall — to drop
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lean — to bend
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — the season
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fall — to drop
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lean — thin
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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