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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wax — to grow
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bark — to shout
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. season — in sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. season — of the year
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mate — to breed
  23. squash — the sport
  24. wax — for sculpting

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