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 120 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: fall · foot · temple · perch · rock · press

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. foot — a measure
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. press — a publisher
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — the fish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fall — the season
  12. rock — a stone
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fall — to drop
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — to push

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