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: row · perch · cell · bound · shower · lean · temple · jam

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cell — in biology
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bound — certain
  5. shower — rain
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — to bend
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. row — a line
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lean — thin
  22. row — to paddle
  23. cell — a phone
  24. temple — side of the head

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