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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lean — thin
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. net — after costs
  7. drill — a practice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. net — in sport
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lean — to bend
  17. tear — to rip
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — a skill
  20. net — for catching
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. tear — from crying

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