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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · chair · temple · prune · foot · chest

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. foot — a measure
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. prune — to trim
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chest — of your body
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chest — of your body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. chest — a box
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chair — a leader

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