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: season · tube · mate · coach · temple · file · bank · lash

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. file — a document
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mate — a partner
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. file — a line of people
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. season — of the year
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mate — a friend
  18. file — a tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — to breed
  21. season — in sport
  22. tube — the underground
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. tube — a container

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