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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cue — a signal
  6. row — a line
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ground — crushed
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wound — an injury
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. staff — employees
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ground — a position
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. cue — a hint

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