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 120 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: bass · leaves · face · prune · temple · rock · file · racket

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. face — to point toward
  3. file — a document
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. face — part of the head
  21. prune — to trim
  22. file — a tool
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. leaves — to go away

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