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: mug · stock · face · temple · rest · bay

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mug — a face
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. face — to confront
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stock — goods
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rest — a break
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mug — to rob

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