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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. content — happy
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. staff — a stick
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. staff — employees
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. content — the amount

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