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: current · temple · band · toast · mate · drill

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. current — happening now
  4. toast — bread
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. band — a music group
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. drill — army training
  15. band — a ring
  16. current — of water
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. current — electric

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