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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. court — of law
  9. roll — a list
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. court — of a king
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. kid — child
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mine — for digging
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. court — for sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kid — to tease

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