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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ground — crushed
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ground — a position
  20. mark — a grade
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fine — a penalty

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