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: temple · fan · club · leaves · nail · jam

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. club — for dancing
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. club — for golf
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — a group
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter

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