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: date · safe · temple · ball · squash · degree · sharp · season

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. degree — temperature
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. squash — to crush
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — clever
  8. season — in sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. squash — the sport
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. degree — from a university
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. degree — an amount
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. season — of the year
  24. ball — a dance

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