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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pop — soda
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mark — a trace
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fine — a penalty

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