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 · dip · bass · chair · cabinet · mine · foot · pop

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pop — soda
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pop — music
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. dip — to sink
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. foot — a measure
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bass — low music

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