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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. current — happening now
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — a stone
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. saw — the tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rock — music
  17. bat — the animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. current — electric
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ball — a great time
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bat — for baseball

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