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 · race · patient · craft · jam · kick · degree · bank

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — boats
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bank — for money
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. degree — temperature
  14. race — the arms race
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. race — a contest
  17. kick — in football
  18. bank — of a river
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. degree — an amount
  24. craft — a handicraft

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