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: stem · temple · cue · lie · file · rest · dip · shower

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. shower — rain
  10. dip — to sink
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — a break
  15. cue — a hint
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. file — a document
  24. rest — what's left

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