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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rule — a law
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. perch — the fish
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — for money
  10. rash — a series
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. court — of law
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rule — government
  20. court — of a king
  21. bank — of a river
  22. content — happy
  23. court — for sport
  24. rule — to rule out

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