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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — a stone
  13. season — in sport
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rock — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bat — the animal

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