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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rest — what's left
  14. season — of the year
  15. rest — a break
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. season — in sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pop — music
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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