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: roll · shower · sharp · mouse · chip · bay · cabinet · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. roll — a list
  18. shower — rain
  19. sharp — clever
  20. shower — to wash
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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