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: present · bark · mate · temple · cell · toast

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cell — a phone
  3. present — there
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. present — the time now
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mate — a friend
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. present — a gift
  11. toast — bread
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. cell — in a prison

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