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: cell · mine · bore · pitch · arm · cabinet · shower · temple

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bore — to tire
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. shower — to wash
  24. arm — part of the body

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