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: snap · bat · tube · file · craft · temple

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. craft — boats
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. snap — to click
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bat — the animal
  13. tube — a container
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. file — a document
  16. craft — a skill
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. temple — a place of worship

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