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: temple · fan · wind · mug · march · rash · current · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. march — music
  3. current — of water
  4. march — the month
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. march — the month
  12. current — happening now
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mug — a face
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. current — electric
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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