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 · content · file · fine · plane · cap · racket · snap

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. file — a line of people
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. file — a document
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cap — a lid
  14. file — a tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. content — the amount
  18. cap — a hat
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cap — of ice
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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