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: bore · racket · cell · press · firm · temple

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. firm — steady
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cell — a phone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cell — in biology
  10. firm — decided
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. firm — a company
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  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