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 · dip · row · tube · leaves · game

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. tube — the underground
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. row — a line
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. row — to paddle
  10. dip — to sink
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. tube — a container
  15. game — wild animals
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. dip — a sauce

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