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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. club — a group
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — for golf
  6. ground — crushed
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. club — for dancing
  12. present — a gift
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. present — the time now
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. present — there
  24. toast — bread

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