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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lean — thin
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. stock — goods
  13. key — the most important part
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a dance
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stock — shares
  19. lean — to bend
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. key — in music

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