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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. foot — a measure
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — in a race
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — a hole
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fall — the season
  15. mark — a grade
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — a trace
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. scale — in music
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fan — to cool the air

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