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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spring — the season
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. spring — a coil
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. drill — a practice
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. sharp — clever
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. drill — army training
  16. cue — a signal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. vault — a safe
  19. board — to get on
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. board — a committee
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. spring — of water

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