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: wave · stick · cap · temple · deal · prune

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cap — of ice
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — a lid
  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