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: temple · branch · bass · hide · mug · foot · wind · staff

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. foot — a measure
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bass — low music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — a division
  17. bass — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mug — a face
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mug — to rob

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