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: fine · mark · mine · coach · wind · stick · temple · fan

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — all right
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wind — moving air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. mine — for digging
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — to pay attention

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