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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fall — the season
  3. hand — help
  4. ball — a great time
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — for golf
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — the time now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. ball — a dance
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. scale — size or range
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fall — to drop
  22. scale — in music
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hand — in cards

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