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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. season — in sport
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. plane — a tool
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bound — obliged
  10. season — of the year
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bound — certain
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rock — music
  19. bat — the animal
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rock — a stone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. plane — an aircraft

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