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: rest · foot · temple · march · toast · staff · mine · prune

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. mine — for digging
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. prune — to trim
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. prune — to trim
  16. toast — bread
  17. march — the month
  18. rest — a break
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. temple — a place of worship

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