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: bay · mouse · deal · temple · pop · firm · bore · march

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. deal — to handle
  3. march — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. march — the month
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. firm — steady
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — a company
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. firm — decided
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pop — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. march — the month

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