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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. club — a group
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. club — for dancing
  8. march — music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. club — for golf
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. march — the month
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lean — thin
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. march — the month
  24. lean — to bend

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