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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. sharp — clever
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. rush — hurry
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bound — tied together
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chair — a leader
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. march — the month
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bound — certain
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bound — obliged

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