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: file · temple · deal · spring · bass · perch · bay · race

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. file — a line of people
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — of water
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bass — low music
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — a contest
  17. perch — the fish
  18. race — humankind
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a document

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