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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. spring — the season
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mug — a face
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a ring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spring — a coil
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spring — of water
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. band — a rubber band

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