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: wave · temple · wound · sharp · mouse · pound · mark · court

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mark — a trace
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. court — of a king
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pound — a weight
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. court — of law
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. sharp — clever
  21. court — for sport
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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