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: bear · kick · jam · temple · spring · deal · race · face

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. spring — of water
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. bear — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kick — in football
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. deal — to handle
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. race — the arms race
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. bear — the animal

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