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: mark · temple · branch · kick · mine · bay · mug · pass

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mug — a cup
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mark — a trace
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. branch — a division
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. mug — a face
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mine — belonging to me

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