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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a dance
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. rest — a break
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. safe — a strongbox

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