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 120 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: lie · prune · temple · last · pitch · pop · cell · bank

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cell — a phone
  3. last — final
  4. bank — for money
  5. pop — music
  6. cell — in biology
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pop — to visit
  13. last — finally
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — for money
  21. last — to go on
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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