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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. staff — employees
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. squash — the sport
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — a container
  12. staff — a stick
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. saw — the tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. staff — employees

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