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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — a city
  6. board — a committee
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. net — for catching
  9. vault — a safe
  10. club — for golf
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. bass — the fish
  16. board — to get on
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. capital — money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. net — after costs
  24. bass — low music

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