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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. net — in sport
  5. fine — all right
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. net — for catching
  9. rest — a break
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. net — after costs
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lean — to bend
  16. march — the month
  17. lean — thin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. fine — high quality

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