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 120 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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. degree — an amount
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. degree — temperature
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. net — in sport
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. degree — from a university
  15. net — after costs
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. net — for catching
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cold — not warm
  24. foot — a measure

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