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: spell · temple · race · content · arm · roll · jam · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. roll — a cake
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. race — the arms race
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. race — a contest
  9. roll — a list
  10. race — humankind
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spell — a short time
  13. content — happy
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. content — the amount
  16. spell — magic
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spell — letters
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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