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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. net — in sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. can — a tin
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lie — to recline
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wax — to grow
  15. squash — the sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pop — music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. net — for catching
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. can — a tin
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — after costs

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