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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. hand — in cards
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a committee
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. land — a country
  13. bank — of a river
  14. land — ground
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. land — to come down
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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