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: calf · capital · ruler · temple · bowl · root · plane · file

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. file — a document
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. capital — money
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. capital — a city
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. plane — a tool
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. file — a tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. calf — a young 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